Example

                                    
file.pl
     
     
     :- ensure_loaded(library(basics)).
     :- ensure_loaded(file1).
     :- ensure_loaded(file2).
     
     runtime_entry(start) :- go.
     

                                   
file1.pl
     
     
     < some foreign/[2,3] facts >
     < some foreign_file/2 facts >
     
     :- load_foreign_files([system(foreign)],[]).
     

     % qpc file    (A)
     

Given the above files, the command (A) will have these results:

• Compile file.pl into !sq'file.qof'
• Cause each of the QOF files in (B) to be produced unless it already exists and is more recent than its source:

            library-directory/basics.qof file1.qof file2.qof  (B)
            

• Records the dependency of file.qof on the three QOF files in (B) and records the dependency of file1.qof on foreign.o in file1.qof, so that when qpc then calls (C) an executable file is built for the entire program.

            % qld -d file.qof   (C)
            

If for some reason you didn't want to use the -d option to qld, you could achieve the same effect as qpc file by the following sequence of commands:

     % qpc -c file file1 file2
     % qld file.qof library-directory/basics.qof file1.qof file2.qof foreign.o
     

Alternatively, these commands would work:

     % qpc -c file file1 file2
     % qld file.qof "library(basics)" file1.qof file2.qof foreign.o
     

Note that moving a QOF file from one directory to another may render its dependencies incorrect, so that the -d option cannot be used when loading that file. If relative filenames are used, a set of mutually dependent files can safely be moved around the directory hierarchy, or to another machine, provided that they retain the same positions relative to one another. In particular, a set of files that are all in the same directory can safely be moved. Using file search path specifications (see sap-srs-fsp and ref-lod) enables you to create alterable paths.